IEC Standards for Industrial Control Panels

With

0

national committees, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is the leading standards organization in the electrotechnical area. Many countries around the world have their own national versions of the IEC standards.

Reference manual: Implementing industrial control panels in compliance with IEC and EU Directives

Exporting to IEC markets

IEC standards are applied in about two-thirds of countries world-wide. To export to IEC markets, designers and builders of control panels must apply the relevant IEC standards and "self-certify" the end product. Documentation that the design and construction meets the relevant standards is key to limiting your liability.

Important IEC standards

Delimitation of IEC 60204-1 and IEC 61439-1/2

Because of growing uncertainty on the market as to which standard should be considered most important for a machine control panel, the German Commission for Electrical, Electronic and Information Technologies of DIN and VDE (DKE) has published a statement on this subject.

Various standards have to be observed for the construction of control panels for machinery. IEC 60204-1 is the relevant standard, but it is the manufacturer's responsibility to ensure the best possible electrical safety of the control panel.

This is why we recommend that a risk analysis be carried out. For the European market, this is even stipulated in the relevant directives. If further risks are identified during the risk analysis that, in the opinion of the manufacturer, are not covered by IEC 60204-1, then IEC 61439-1/-2 and, if necessary, other standards may also be consulted as an additional design aid. The DKE (German Commission for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies) has also published a recommendation in this regard.

IEC 60204-1

Basic safety standard IEC 60204-1, “Electrical equipment of machinery – Part 1: General requirements for the electrical equipment of machines” constitutes an important standard for control panels as part of a machine.

Scope of IEC 60204-1

Applies to the use of electronic equipment and systems for machines

Starts at the point of connection to the electrical equipment of the machine

Relates to control panels with rated voltages of up to 1,000 V AC or 1,500 V DC

Outlook: Revision of IEC 60204-1

In recent years, the International Electrotechnical Commission worked on a new version of IEC 60204, which was published in late 2016. It is expected that national standards will be derived from this from late 2017 onward. The new standard has not yet been incorporated in the Official Journal of the European Union.

The new version mainly involved the revision or introduction of the following topics:

National requirements, normative conditions and references to the literature

IEC 61439-1/2

IEC 61439 is the standard for low-voltage switchgear and controlgear assemblies and, following a transitional period, has had sole validity since 2014. Parts 1 and 2 establish safety requirements for power switchgear and controlgear assemblies, which may also be of relevance to machine control panels.

New EU directives as of April 2016 (Hannover Messe 2016)

Requirements in the European Economic Area

EU Directives set forth the product requirements that apply throughout Europe. Products marketed in the European Economic Area must satisfy the protection goals of the applicable Directive or Directives.

The essential Directives governing control panels for machines are the Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU and the EMC Directive 2014/30/EU. The Directives refer in turn to harmonized EN standards, which in most cases are borrowed from the IEC standards.

No sales without a CE mark

The CE mark is a legally prescribed label for all products that comply with EU Directives, and is thus essentially a “technical passport” for products within the European Economic Area. The EU declaration of conformity forms the basis for CE labeling of a product: it is the manufacturer’s declaration that the product it is marketing complies with the fundamental health and safety requirements of all relevant European Directives, i.e. that it is in conformity with them.

The CE mark must be applied directly to the product. If this is not possible on technical grounds, the packaging and/or accompanying documentation (instructions for use, certificate of warranty) may also be used for the CE mark.

April 20, 2016: Eight new EU Directives came into force

Starting in 2008, EU Directives have been standardized as part of the New Legislative Framework (NLF). On April 20, 2016, the new versions of a total of eight EU Directives were transposed into national legislation of the EU member countries, including the Low Voltage, EMC and ATEX Directives.

Documentation must be available in a language that is understood by local authorities and users

Documentation must include a risk analysis and assessment

A postal address must be included on the product itself or, if this is not possible, on the packaging or the enclosed documentation.

A clear definition of the economic operators and their obligations: manufacturers, authorized representatives, importers, distributors

A clear definition of the following activities:
- Making a product available to the market
- Marketing
- Conformity assessments
- Withdrawal from sale
- Recall

The Low Voltage Directive stipulates the following safety objectives:

General conditions

The essential characteristics for safe use must be specified

Electrical equipment shall be made in such a way as to ensure it can be safely and properly assembled and connected

Electrical equipment shall be so designed and manufactured as to ensure that protection is assured against the hazards listed. Definition of one stipulation for equipment maintenance is permitted

Protection against hazards arising from the electrical equipment

Persons and domestic animals are adequately protected against the danger of physical injury or other harm that might be caused by direct or indirect contact

Temperatures, arcs or radiation that would cause a danger are not produced

Persons, domestic animals and property are adequately protected against non-electrical dangers caused by the electrical equipment which are revealed by experience

The insulation is suitable for foreseeable conditions

Protection against hazards which may be caused by external influences on the electrical equipment

Meets the expected mechanical requirements in such a way that persons, domestic animals and property are not endangered

Is resistant to non-mechanical influences in expected environmental conditions, in such a way that persons, domestic animals and property are not endangered

Does not endanger persons, domestic animals and property in foreseeable conditions of overload.

The scope of application was extended to include domestic animals and objects. It also covers other hazards (mechanical, chemical; noise, etc.)

Essential EU Directives for control panels and machines

It’s essential to identify the right Directive in each case, since this will affect the standard to be applied and the cost and effort required for the declaration of conformity and documentation.

The following EU Directives may be of relevance to control panels and machines:

Horizontal Directives

Create standards-compliant control panel designs

The safe, efficient and convenient examination of heat in compliance with the standards is a major challenge in planning and building a control panel. The legal and normative requirements not only have to be taken into account but also added to the documentation for an industrial control panel as part of a technical risk assessment. The same applies to electromagnetic compatibility.

Electromagnetic Compatibility

EMC

EMC concept

EMC-related phenomena repeatedly cause disruptions in machines and plant. A well thought-through design can prevent this type of disruption before it happens.

Temperature rise concept

Dealing with short circuits

Consideration of short-circuit capability is fundamental to building a safe control panel. That’s why the expected minimum and maximum short-circuit current at the machine’s infeed (RMS value in kA) must be agreed upon between the customer and machine manufacturer.

SIMARIS design planning tool

With the SIMARIS design software, you draw up a grid calculation, including a calculation of short-circuit current, based on real products with a minimum number of inputs – by calculating the medium voltage up to the power outlet. In addition to grid calculation, the software also calculates short-circuit current, load flow, voltage drops and energy balance.

Switchgear and controlgear assemblies or switchgear/controlgear assembly circuits, protected by current-limiting devices with a let-through current not exceeding 17 kA at the maximum permitted uninfluenced short-circuit current at the infeeds to the switchgear and controlgear assembly

Use our overview of let-through values for this, e.g. for circuit-breakers and fuses.

Practice-based documentation

Both international standards and European Directives contain rules on documentation. We provide a general overview of the requirements and our tools help ensure easy, time-saving implementation.

The information needed for setting up, operating and maintaining the electrical equipment within a machine must be supplied in appropriate versions according to IEC 60204. The information must be provided in an agreed language.

Technical documentation must be written in a language that can be easily understood in the target country. It must be kept available for the authorities for ten years after the electrical equipment was last placed on the market.

Descriptions and explanations thereof, also for operation of the electrical equipment

List of the associated standards applied or description of the measures taken to comply with the safety requirements

Results of design calculations, examinations carried out and test reports (of the manufacturer or of third parties)

Copy of the declaration of conformity

Suitable risk analysis and assessment

Risk analysis and assessment

A suitable risk analysis and assessment is part of the conformity assessment procedure. This is necessary in addition to a risk analysis and assessment that may be conducted, if applicable, within the scope of the Machinery Directive.

“Reasonably foreseeable” operating errors must also be considered during the assessment procedure.

To perform the risk analysis within the scope of the Directive, the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC) offers the CENELEC Guide 32 as guidance for safety related risk assessment and risk reduction for low voltage equipment.

Product data for documentation bundled together in one package

Powerful tools to draw up documentation efficiently

Many small steps are involved in drawing up documentation. Looking for documents, finding and compiling them is often a time-consuming and complex task. Our tools make it possible to draw up the documentation in parallel with the engineering process.

Documentation included – our practical planning tools

Our tools not only help with standards-compliant product selection, dimensioning and layout of your control panel: many outputs and reports can also be used as supporting materials for your documentation. For example, you can use:

SIMARIS therm to demonstrate temperature rise limits

SIMARIS curves to demonstrate short circuits

Much of the data that is needed for documentation in compliance with standards and Directives can be downloaded using the CAx Download Manager. Just enter the article numbers for the Siemens products from your parts list and you can get all the available product data in a single package:

Engineering White Papers

Exporting to IEC Markets?

Control panel standards differ greatly when exporting into IEC markets. Do you have an upcoming export project, but are unsure of the requirements? Siemens has experts on control panel standards globally and is here to support you. Contact us for more information on free training and consulting support

Please allow JavaScript

Please use another Browser

It looks like you are using a browser that is not fully supported. Please note that there might be constraints on site display and usability.
For the best experience we suggest that you download the newest version of a supported browser: